Monte Carlo comparison of alanine pellets and Risø B3 film for electron beam dose mapping

Accurate dose mapping is essential for the performance qualification of electron beam sterilization of medical devices to ensure compliance with specified sterility assurance levels while avoiding material degradation. This study employs Monte Carlo models to compare alanine pellet and Risø B3 film dosimeters with respect to their ability to measure surface dose as defined by a 1 μm water layer present on the surface, and resolve dose gradients in 10 MeV electron beams. The findings show that while alanine pellets remain suitable for dose mapping when placed on surfaces with uniform irradiation and small dose gradients, thin film dosimeters are required for accurate surface dose mapping in complex geometries or where strong localized dose gradients are present, highlighting the need for application specific dosimeter selection.